Laura Dougherty and the Royal Oak Musicale are nearly the same age. Dougherty is 92 and Musicale celebrates its 90th year as the 2013-14 season debuts Sept. 17.

Dougherty was born in Birmingham, England, the youngest of five children. The family immigrated to Ontario, Canada, when she was 2, and five years later, moved to Warren, Mich.

“When my family first came to the United States, we had no money and no furniture, but mom insisted we have a piano,” said Dougherty, who only admits to playing “at” the piano. “She was right, you know.”

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“How could she have raised five children without musical games? She used music to help raise her family. We played games like musical chairs. Mom knew them all.”

Daugherty married her husband in 1944, when he was on a weekend pass from the Army. After World War II ended and he was discharged, the young couple moved to Clawson, where a neighbor kept asking her to join the Royal Oak Musicale.

She finally agreed to chaperone a group of student violinists, including her oldest daughter, on a Musicale tour of England, including to her hometown of Birmingham. That was 44 years ago and Dougherty has been a Musicale member ever since.

In the 1970s, Dougherty served as student membership chairwoman and as counselor for the now-defunct Youth Musicale and as historian. She was in charge of publicity in the 1980s and chairwoman of National Music Week.

In 2001, she was elected president of Royal Oak Musicale. She now serves as corresponding secretary and chorus librarian. She sings in the Musicale Chorus and the chorus of her church.

At the recent Michigan Federation of Music Clubs convention, Daugherty received the MFMC Citation Award, its highest honor, for her outstanding service to Royal Oak Musicale.

Daugherty is the mother of two daughters, Connie and Cynthia, grandmother of six and great-grandmother of two. Connie, who plays violin and piano, was president of the Musicale student group when she was growing up, and Cynthia plays piano and oboe.

“Mom has always had an unfailing devotion to her family,” said daughter Connie Howse. “She puts us first and that means everything to us.”

“The reason Musicale exists is to train young people to play, and to raise money to pay for scholarships, so they can go to school and use music as their livelihood,” Dougherty said. “Musicale has given me the satisfaction of knowing that my children have music in their lives.”

Dougherty worries that Musicale’s membership is getting older. The main thing she wants from this story is to convince young people to join.

“They are so busy, but who isn’t busy these days?” Dougherty asked. ‘”Take time for music -- it relaxes you, it has beauty and it can be a savior.”

Royal Oak Musicale will open its 2013-2014 season with a free concert at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 814 N. Campbell Road in Royal Oak.

The September program will begin with the presentation of pins to seven members for their 25 years of loyalty and service to Royal Oak Musicale. Honored will be Dougherty’s daughter, Connie, and Margo Allen, Nadine Deleury, Ellen Holden, Laurie Johnson, Barbara Staniszewski and Pat Gallagher. Gallagher passed away in June, so her husband, Jack, and daughter, Linda, will accept her pin.

The concert will feature Hunter Kelly, an 18-year-old violinist from Rochester Hills, performing works by Handel, Tchaikovsky, and Schubert, accompanied by Musicale member Nancy Dakin. The high school student is a member of the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra.

Bassoonist Stephanie Konchel of Troy will perform the Michigan premiere of Charles Fernandez’“Casablanca Sonata for Bassoon and Piano.” Konchel, who holds degrees in bassoon performance from University of Michigan and Ohio State University, performs regularly with both the Windsor and Ann Arbor Symphonies. She will be accompanied by Doris Hall.

Meet the performers while you enjoy tea and refreshments at a reception after the concert, thanks to Tea Chairwoman Claire Mautner and Chairwoman of the Day Jean Watson, who is also the current Musicale president.

All concerts are the third Tuesday of the month, beginning at 1 p.m., except December and May, which begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to royaloakmusicale.org.

St. Patrick’s parade fundraiser

With only six months until St. Patrick’s Day, The Ancient Order of Hibernians Norman O’Brien Chapter is raising money to fund the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Royal Oak. Join them at National Coney Island, 1812 N. Main St., Royal Oak, from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, when the restaurant will donate 15 percent of your total bill to the parade fund. Hibernians members will greet you at the door with a flyer to give your server.

Senior Expo & Flu Shot Clinic

Admission and parking are free for the Senior Expo & Flu Shot Clinic at Birmingham Area Seniors Coordinating Center, 2121 Midvale St. in Birmingham, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. There will also be refreshments and prizes to participants.

Learn about healthy living from more than 50 exhibiters of consumer products and services. Insurance plans that will be accepted are Health Alliance Plan, Blue Care Network, Priority Health, Health Plus, Physician’s Health Plan, Medicare Part B and all HMO Advantage plans, Blue Cross with adult immunization coverage and MESSA.

Private pay flu shots will cost $25; high dose for age 65 and older $50; and pneumonia shots $85. Shots will be given by Visiting Nurses Association personnel.

“This is a wonderful chance for seniors and family members of seniors to gather helpful information for present and future needs,” said BASCC Outreach Provider Shirley Crumley.

You do not have to be a Birmingham resident or a BASCC member to attend; everyone is welcome. For more information, call 248-203-5270 or go online to bascc.org.

College football games, including Michigan State vs. Notre Dame, and University of Michigan vs. University of Connecticut Huskies, as well as ESPN/Sportscenter, will play on several TVs.

Cigar rollers from Churchill’s of Birmingham, putting contests on the club’s putting green, special liquor tastings, a live auction, raffle and tailgate games will add to the fun. A Texas barbecue buffet will include beer, wine and soft drinks.

Tickets are $125 and proceeds will support HAVEN programs and prevention services for survivors who are on a journey to safety.

More than 120 committed and diverse ladies make up the membership of the Royal Oak Woman’s Club, and they come from many different communities. There is no residency requirement.

Every fall, they open their historic clubhouse at 404 S. Pleasant St. in Royal Oak for a Meet & Greet to welcome new members and get acquainted with prospective members. All interested women are invited to attend this year’s Meet & Greet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, and learn about the club while enjoying snacks and beverages.

Call Mary Lou Johnstone, vice-president of membership, at 248-549-3701, for more information or to make a reservation.

Have news about your club, organization or interesting individuals in Southeast Oakland County you would like to share with the community? Email Jeanne Towar at jeanne.towar@gmail.com or call 248-890-8370.